Cats and Jokers
by Enceludus
Summary: A new candidate at House 51 locks horns with Casey, who is busy trying to get used to his new estranged relationship with Dawson and lead his team the best he can through the dangerous situations they face. As tensions between Casey and the candidate escalate, he finds those around him questioning his judgement, and begins to lose faith in himself as things spiral out of control.
1. Chapter 1

There were better and worse places to be, Casey thought. Well, probably a few more better ones on the whole. He took a breath but it didn't seem to get enough oxygen into his lungs, which felt like they were crisping up with every passing minute. It wasn't the smoke; he had his mask and there was very little in the air anyway. It was the heat, the vicious, raw heat. They were in a factory, a very big ceramics factory, with a fire above them engulfing two floors. Specifically, they were in an oven.

There hadn't really been any option, had there? He'd had a split second to decide whether to take shelter or to get them out of the factory, and he'd decided on the shelter. But an industrial kiln, of all things? Fireproof, maybe. Heat resistant, no. The temperature was unbearable, black spots danced before his eyes, his arms felt heavy, his heart pounded slowly.

Then there was the question that he kept coming back to, one that his head was answering negatively, his heart positively; was he glad that Dawson was in here with him? It was selfish, unspeakable, unfair and irrational but as he sat and looked at her, and she at him, he felt calm.

_Hurry up guys,_ he thought, as he closed his eyes against the heat.

Earlier:

It had been another slow day, following a string of slow days that made everyone feel like it was the calm before the storm. Everyone was on edge, waiting for a call, waiting to find out what Chicago was brewing up for them. On Monday, two days previously, two boys had got stuck in the air con units of their own school, and that was about the most of it. The only thing they had to look forward to was the arrival of the new candidate; it diverted their anticipation into something more positive, rather than the increasing sense of dread as the calmness persisted.

When the candidate arrived, Casey waited at the table as everyone got up to welcome him, studiously cleaning his mask while watching from under his brows. The candidate's name was Hank Mauden, and he'd excelled in all physical tests. Casey had been on hand to meet him already at the exams and had sat in on his interviews with Boden. He'd been fairly impressed. Mauden was fit, smart and personable.

But… There was something about him that just didn't sit right. Casey put it down to another alpha male on the block. He was cautious about how he'd take to Severide, whether he'd treat his elders, like Mouch and Herrmann with respect. Would he be respectful of Dawson as a firefighter and Brett as a paramedic? As he watched though, Mauden grasped Mouch's hand in a shake and pulled him close to mutter an aside in his ear. For a moment, Mouch looked shocked, then he threw back his head and laughed. That set everyone chuckling. Cruz was saying, 'what? What's so funny?'

At that moment, Dawson walked in the door. She didn't even look at Casey, but went to greet Mauden, all smiles. Mauden turned, caught her elbow and gave her a kiss on the cheek. _What?_ Casey thought. Someone wolf whistled, probably Otis. Casey felt an absurd burn somewhere at the base of his skull. Dawson admonished Mauden and shook his hand, but Casey swore he saw her blush. _Was he good looking?_ He was bigger than Casey, smaller than Severide. Apart from that, he was just a guy as far as Casey could tell. He had hair, thick hair, and fair skin. And a nose, and eyes… Fresh faced, Dawson would say. Square jawed.

No, it wasn't the way he looked that rankled with Casey, nor was it his swagger. Casey knew enough to know not to judge someone by their swagger. It was the way he was so perfectly presented. His voice was rich and warm, his eyes were wrinkled with laughter lines, his shirt pressed. _For god's sake, you have a problem because he's normal?_

Casey shook his head physically to stop himself. He was being ridiculous and protective.

Only Herrmann seemed to share his views. Casey caught his eye; he was stood behind the kitchen counter, slurping at his coffee with one eyebrow raised. When he caught Casey's eye, he raised the other eyebrow in a look that said, Well, what've we got here then?

Feeling flustered from watching Dawson greet Mauden like that, and angry at himself for feeling flustered at all, he waited until Mauden had pretty much arrived at his table before he set aside his mask.

'Welcome to the circus, Mauden,' He said, standing up and grasping Mauden's hand.

'Thanks, man.' And then, before he could stop himself, Casey said:

'What? No kisses?' Herrmann snickered behind him.

'Only for the pretty ones.'

'Wrong, Candidate. Not your teammates, you understand?' The smile faltered on Mauden's face. Casey forced himself to relax. 'C'mon, you want some coffee? Herrmann just brewed some, then I'll show you upstairs.'

Dawson had already disappeared, on her way to wherever it was she had to be, a better place to be than here with him, clearly. Only he didn't know where that was, of course, not anymore. _Damn_, he thought, _why was she being so damn cold about it?_

'Cheers, man,' Mauden said, setting down his bag, his smile somewhat cooler. Herrmann took him over to the coffee machine, already chatting away.

'We've had a pretty slow few days. You should've started last week, had an office fire on the twenty first floor. Since then, nothing. Zilch, zero. Just your standard cats and jokers. We been having a basketball tournament to keep ourselves busy. The final's tomorrow, it's going to be huge. Brett and Severide vs Mills and Otis.'

'Slow week? That sucks. I can't handle sitting around, you know?' There it was, a flash of insolence, a subtle putdown that Casey had been expecting.

'Don't worry,' Casey said, 'we don't sit around much.' And he made a mental note to include Mauden in the next draw for basketball. Perhaps against Severide and Brett, who were like a whirlwind together, for his first game. That would shut him up.

Boden had arrived and Mauden squared his shoulders. Casey moved aside for the two of them to greet, then headed out to the front of the house, hoping to bump into Dawson. They'd sworn to be friends, to go back to normal – normal being _before_ their engagement, of course – but Dawson barely even spoke to him anymore. She wasn't outside though, so he sat in the chill morning air, and watched the traffic, trying to work out why he felt so bad.

Later, Herrmann caught up with him by the lockers.

'You OK, Casey?' He asked. They both knew exactly what he meant: Mauden.

'Yeah, everything's OK. Good to have a new recruit. We'll have to see how he handles a ball though.'

'And a fire,' Herrmann said. Casey relaxed a little, because he knew for sure than Herrmann was on the same wavelength as him. And right then, the alarm sounded.

'And a fire,' Casey repeated, as they ran out of the room.


	2. Chapter 2

**Hi everyone, thanks for reading **** I should probably say I don't own anything to do with Chicago Fire.**

**Would love to hear your thoughts! **

'Factory fire, first and second floors. We've got a visual on people on the third floor, and there might be some on the ground floor.'

'Any lower-ground floors? Basements?' Factories like this often had huge storage units underground, dating back to pre-war times. Death-traps, in other words.

'Not that we know of. The foreman says no, but it's his first week. The owner is on his way, as are the blueprints.'

'What sort of factory is it?'

'Ceramics. Could be some highly flammable chemicals in there. Waiting for confirmation from the owner on that too.' The had arrived at a huge red brick building, more similar in size to an airport hangar than a factory, with black smoke billowing from the first and second floor windows. Above that, on the third floor, people were hanging out of the windows, waving and crying. Luckily, the factory was surrounded by other similar buildings, some of which were derelict, and it wouldn't be hard to evacuate them.

'Ok, let's ladder up,' Severide was shouting.

'Casey,' Boden called, 'I want you on the ground floor. No reports of fire, but we've got 20 people unaccounted for in there.'

'Ok, Otis, Herrmann, Dawson, Mauden, you're on me, let's check it out.' They jogged back to the truck to tank up, then the five of them advanced into the building, which was murky with smoke but strangely muffled despite the fire above. The windows were grimy with dirt and the electricity had long since failed. It felt like they were entering the cover of night. Huge machinery, the size of the truck, stood over them, obstructing their vision whichever way they turned. Always, Casey had one eye on Mauden, Otis and Herrmann, and Dawson.

'Fire department! Call out!' The smoke was getting thicker, their torches abruptly stumped out a few metres ahead. The huge factory windows, which usually would've lit up the whole floor, were faint patches of grey light. Above, the building began to groan and rumble as the fire worked through it.

'Chief, I'm not sure about this ceiling,' Casey spoke into his radio.

'It's your call, Casey.' But at that moment, he caught a flash of moment ahead; someone was waving weakly to them.

'Otis, Herrmann, over here.' Otis and Hermann were on the other side of a conveyer belt to Casey, Dawson and Mauden, but now they made their way over, weaving through the factory's processing line, to where half a dozen people were sheltering behind a car-sized control panel, choking into scarves and aprons. 'Ok, everyone, come with us, we're getting you out.'

Casey grabbed the first few by their shoulders and hauled them upright. 'Stay low!' Turning back the way they'd come, Casey could understand why the workers hadn't moved. They were faced with blackness, just a vague outline of machinery and tabletops. 'Is there a backdoor?' He asked the lady he was supporting. She nodded her head.

'It's back there, but we don't know where the fire is. There are more people in the offices.'

Otis and Herrmann had already moved off with the first few people, while Dawson and Mauden helped the rest to their feet.

'That's right, you're ok, just follow them.' Dawson was saying.

'Mauden, get these people out of the building. Follow Otis and Herrmann.'

'What about the rest of them?'

'We're going to find them. Get them out now.'

'I'll come with you.'

'You'll do what I say Candidate,' Casey told him, but Mauden hesitated. Casey couldn't believe it; it was this guy's first call with 51, and he was already questioning him? 'Move. _Now_. I won't tell you twice.' Casey pushed him roughly after Otis and Herrmann, and then guided the others more gently through the gloom behind him.

Casey felt Dawson eyeing up Mauden's retreating back, and he could practically hear her thoughts: what an idiot.

'C'mon,' he said to her and they carried on. Overhead, and far at the other end of the building, came the sound of a muffled explosion. Both of them ducked to their knees, but the stillness resumed. It was very disquieting, especially given the slow rumble that had been building overhead. There could have been a firestorm up there and they wouldn't have known

'Dawson,' Casey said, grabbing her arm so she'd look at him, 'this isn't right, it's too unstable. Go back and help the others with those people. I'm going to check out the offices.' His argument was thin, and they both knew it. Without a pause, and in her most neutral, more infuriating voice, Dawson said:

'I'm with you Lieutenant.' She stood up, pulling him with her, and looked towards the back of the factory, to where the lady had pointed. The building groaned around them.

'Ok then,' he said, gritting his teeth and dialling for Boden on his radio. The third and fourth floors were clear, Boden replied, giving them one more minute before they had to be out. He couldn't confirm on what the chemicals were, so everyone was to pull out until they knew.

It was only thirty seconds until Casey released the ceiling was going to come down. They both felt it, a rumble in their bones, and turned instantly back the way they'd come, towards the hot wind blowing the length of the factory.

'That's it, we're leaving! Chief, we're coming out, it's too unstable.' Casey shouted.

But then someone called out behind them.

'Over there,' Dawson said, pointing to what looked dimly like an office room with corrugated walls, within the factory floor. But Casey was looking up, and without even thinking about it, grabbed the back of Dawson's jacket and began forcing her towards the only cover he could see, a small opening between two pieces of machinery. A familiar rushing sound had started in his ears. He never knew whether it was the true sound of a building collapsing on itself, or a manifestation of his own instinct, telling him what his eyes couldn't see. It was like being in a tunnel, with only the sound of the wind being forced ahead of the train to tell you of its approach through the darkness. The last thing he heard was a crack like thunder as he threw Dawson into the space, before he was struck from behind and everything went dark.


	3. Chapter 3

**Hi everyone! Thanks for reading and for your comments, really appreciate them and v. useful **** So I realise its kind of been all action and not a lot of plot so far, but we'll get back to that, I promise (I just got excited by all the excitement…)**

**Enjoy!**

The ceiling was open to the first and second floors, and the flames were licking around the open hole, which looked like the gateway to hell, inverted and suspended overhead. It was eerily quiet, with planks of wood and burning papers fluttering down to the floor. _Hold_, Dawson thought desperately, as another section of the flooring gave way back along the factory, ruining the strange silence as the fire began to build and build again.

'Matt, _please_. Matt, come on, wake up.' She was in the tiny space between the machinery, unable to move from a foetal position. She'd felt Casey's hand on her back, shoving her forward as the ceiling collapsed, and half-fell, half-leapt towards the gap. There was nothing she could do as the storm of falling wood and debris, and worse, machinery and metal girders, fell around them. When it stopped, she readjusted her mask and looked around her. Some sort of metal fencing had fallen over the exit to her shelter, along with a layer of sheet metal and a girder as wide as her arm was long. It was like looking out through prison bars to where Casey lay among the rubble. Someone was still calling for help, screaming. Finally, Matt stirred.

'Oh god, Matt, can you hear me? Are you ok?'

'M ok,' he grunted, floundering before pulling himself into a seating position. He looked around at her, then started when he saw her, barely visible through the beams. He scrabbled towards her on his hands and knees. 'Are you ok?'

'I'm ok, I'm stuck. This place is going to come down though. You should just get out.' Casey ignored her, and pulled on his radio to answer Boden who was ordering him to respond.

'Chief, we're ok, part of the ceiling came in. Dawson's stuck and there are more people back here. The place is too unstable though, get the others out.'

'Godamnit Casey. Get out of there. The chemicals they're using, they're toxic. We're evacuating the block. You need to get out now.'

'Casey,' Dawson said, 'please just go.' But Casey did his best scoff, given the circumstances.

'I got you in there, Dawson.' He stood up, fighting the dizzy spell that made him grab onto the metal casing for stability, and braced himself against the beam. It was upright, pinning the metal grating in place. It barely moved. 'Kick the bottom, Gabby. Kick it when I push it.' Dawson twisted around in the little space and got her feet against the bottom of the blockage. Together, they heaved and pushed, and first with a tiny shift and then with a surge that nearly sent Casey flying, the blockage shifted.

Dawson dragged herself out of the hole and stood up. With no time to take stock, they stumbled towards the shouts and found two people pressed against the wall of the factory, hacking and choking on the smoke.

'Is there a backdoor? A side door, anything?' Casey shouted, pulling them up. The lady didn't answer, tears streaked her face. 'This place is going to explode.'

'There's a kiln,' the man spluttered, 'an oven. It's fireproof, and has a ventilation shaft to the outside.' Casey looked at Dawson, disbelieving. _Hiding from a fire in an oven?_ Dawson didn't say anything and Casey wracked his brain for a logical decision, but it didn't come. His head was pounding so much it was hard to function.

'Ok, fine. Which way? Hurry.' Together they plunged through the black smoke, following the wall back towards the middle of factory and down some stone steps, which Casey would've fallen down if Dawson hadn't grabbed his arm. Just when the couple with them were nearly at the end of their endurance levels, they came to a heavy stone section, built against the side of the factory wall. Dawson let go of Casey and spun the wheel. The door was thick, Casey noticed numbly, over twenty centimetres. They piled in, the two people collapsing immediately, while Casey and Dawson turned to shut the door.

'Chief, if you can hear me, we're in a kiln. It's got a ventilation shaft leading to the outside,' but Boden didn't reply. He went over to the shaft and kicked it as hard as he could, but it didn't budge. 'Can't see any daylight, but it's wide enough to climb through.'

Dawson nudged him out of the way, and knelt down with her rebar. The kiln was small, half the size of the fire truck, and pitch black apart from their head torches. Casey lit his secondary torch and knelt down beside the couple, pulling his mask off and fixing it over the women's face. The air was remarkably fresh.

Dawson's efforts with the rebar were getting her nowhere, it was easy to see. The place was built to take huge amounts of pressure and heat - a couple of knocks wasn't going to open up the shaft.

Casey sat down with his back against the wall, his helmet beside him. He put his hand to the back of his head and looked at his fingers. They came away dark, but whether it was with blood or the red clay of the kiln, he couldn't tell. Unfortunately, Dawson had seen.

'Casey?' She came over to him, put one hand on the top of his head and inspected the back of it. Then she knelt down in front of him and shone her torch in each eye. Her eyes were wet with tears, but it was probably just the smoke.

'Bit of a pickle, eh?' He smiled. 'I'm fine.'

'Do you feel dizzy? Sick?'

'No…' Her eyes burned into him. 'A little.' She tried calling for Boden on her radio again, but there was nothing.

'It's getting really hot,' the man coughed. Neither of the civilians were in particularly good shape, pale and sweaty, with black smoke staining their noses and mouth. Casey leant forwards and gestured for the women to give her mask to the man, who had dissolved into coughs. Dawson took her own mask off and gave it to Casey. The air felt thick and slow. It was calm in the kiln; what sounded like rolling traffic outside, muted but deep, vibrated in the walls.

'There's nothing we can do. We have to hope it burns out or that they get to us soon.' He looked at Dawson, who'd sat opposite him with her back to the wall, their feet touching. She nodded back, her face unreadable. Casey wanted to reach out and hold her hand, have her sit next to him at least. The temperature was rising at an alarming rate.

_Have I killed us?_ He thought. He shut his eyes so he wouldn't have to look at Dawson.

'_Matt_. Open your eyes. Don't do that.' Dawson had leapt the gap between and was shaking his shoulders. 'Stay awake.'

'Ok, it's fine.' He reassured her, but she didn't release him. 'It's not like last time, I'm ok.' She looked away abruptly, but he swore he saw her bottom lip trembling. 'Just come here,' he said, the lieutenant in him melting away at the sight, and pulled her beside him so that they were side by side, his arm around her. She was stiff at first but then relaxed into him. Casey closed his eyes again, now that she couldn't see, and made himself pretend that they were on the sofa watching some stupid film.

The heat rose unbearably, though barely fifteen minutes had passed. They shed their jackets, their outer trousers. The couple, Sally and Andrew, did the same. Casey wanted to joke about taking off their base layers, but decided against it. Instead of sitting back down together, they lay flat along the floor to try and lose their body heat. Casey's face was inches from Dawson's. _Why have we suddenly lost the ability to talk to each other? What if this is it? That _this_, here in this stupid oven, is the end, and I can't find anything to say to her, or her to me?_

Then she reached out and took his hand, and smiled a tight smile, and he thought maybe all wasn't lost.


	4. Chapter 4

Severide dragged himself through the ventilation shaft, his shoulders wedged against either side. Hot air blasted his face. Normally, such a tight space like this, it would be Casey or Dawson they'd be sending through, not him and Otis, but that wasn't an option.

'What can you see?' Otis shouted behind him.

'Nothing,' he grunted over his shouted. Then, facing forwards: 'Casey? Dawson?'

The building was still burning and he could hear the alarming groans of the huge factory. But they'd waited long enough for the chemicals to burn themselves out, gritting their teeth from a block away as explosions rocked the factory. It was like waiting for popcorn to pop; the blasts came fewer and farer between. At some point, you knew you were going to have to take the popcorn out of the microwave, to see whether it was cooked. Sometimes, the damn stuff wasn't done, and the bag popped and jumped in your hands. Sometimes, you'd left it too long and it was burnt and blackened.

Severide couldn't get the picture of burnt popcorn out of his mind. Finally, he saw a flash of light from ahead, and after another few metres of hauling himself forward, stopping, breathing, hauling forward again, found himself up against a grill peering into the kiln.

'Casey! Dawson!' There were four people on the floor. 'Matt! Gabby!'

Slowly, Dawson sat up, followed by Matt. They looked terrible.

'You have no idea how happy I am to see you guys!' Severide shouted to them.

'You think you're happy?' Casey coughed. 'Just get us out of here.'

Otis passed up the cutting equipment, which nearly didn't fit past Severide's body. For a terrible moment, he thought they were going to have to back all the way up and come back in pushing the equipment ahead of them, which could take another ten minutes. Heat stroke could kill in no time at all. On the other side, Casey and Dawson could do nothing but sit there. Otis handed Severide water, which he'd received from Herrmann behind him. They couldn't get it through the grill, so he poured it through to their cupped hands. They drank desperately, then shared it with the two barely conscious civilians.

It was dangerous using the equipment in such a confined space, his face centimetres from the whirring blade and flying sparks, but they were out of time. Finally, he was through the hinges and he pushed the grate ahead of him into the kiln before pulling himself after it.

'An _oven_? Really guys?'

'Come on, just help us get them out.' Casey said, fumbling for the two people beside him. He felt sluggish and dizzy, like his limbs were too thick.

'No way, both of you get out now. Herrmann and Otis will come and help me.' Casey was going to reply, but his brain couldn't process of the right words. 'You're just getting in the way.' Casey looked to Dawson, who looked as bad as he felt.

'You first,' she said. He was hit by a wave of dizziness and dropped down to the vent to hide it. The crawl was almost the worst part, if they hadn't known they were on their way out. It was claustrophobic and the burning wind howled around them as they dragged themselves round the corners until finally, a postage stamp of light came into sight.

Mouch and Boden pulled Casey out by either arm. The fresh air felt unbelievable. He had the overwhelming urge to sit down on the pavement, where water from the hoses had pooled, and lay his cheek in the puddle, but he was steered towards Mills and Brett.

'You lucky son of a gun,' Boden said with a rare smile as he slapped him heavily on the back.

'Dawson,' he said, turning back to see Herrmann and Capp helping her out from the side of the building, where scattered rubble indicated where they'd pulled the shaft's outer grate from the wall. She stood unsteadily, squinting in the light, and Herrmann crouched immediately and shuffled into the shaft.

Otis and Cruz came up to him, chattering away. He wanted to tell them to shut up, his head hurt, but he sensed the anxiety and relief in their chatter, and let them carry on.

'Someone put an order in for a cold beer?' He croaked.

The beer was about the nicest thing he'd ever tasted. They were at Molly's, the basketball game had been postponed to the following day. He was permitted three sips of beer before Brett whisked it away.

'Concussion, remember?' She smiled at him and took a swig of it herself. 'Here,' and she put down a glass of iced water in its place.

'Vodka?' He asked, but she'd already wandered off towards Cruz and Otis. The water tasted nearly as sweet. Once Brett and Mills had checked out his head, he'd waited with Dawson beside the van while Severide, Otis and Herrmann got the two people out of the kiln. Dawson kept looking at him like he was about to keel over, in between drinking her water and holding it to her forehead.

'What a day,' she said awkwardly, after some time. 'You sure your head's ok?'

'I'm fine.' He held his breath, trying to think of something to say, but it was too much effort and he was exhausted. 'Well, we didn't die,' he said lamely.

'You thought we were going to die?'

'We were in an oven, Gabby.' She laughed, and he smiled.

'Well, I trust you didn't lead us into an oven thinking we were going to die in there?'

'Pretty sure we didn't know what we were doing.' And it was true, they'd had seconds to get out of there.

'My blind faith in you has been misplaced, Lieutenant Casey,' Dawson had told him, her face deadpan. He had still been smiling, feeling the lightness of laughter between them. _Now_, he'd thought, _now I tell her that she was stupid to put her faith in me. _He shivered, his body still responding to the sudden change in temperature.

'Are you cold?' She said before he could say anything.

'No.'

'Come on, you need to get check out at the hospital.'

'So do you.' She was up and steering him into the bus.

'There's not enough room for me, I'll follow later.' And pushed him towards Mills, who sat him next to where Sally was lying on the gurney.

Dawson shut the door, not meeting Casey's eye again. And just like that, she'd shut him down and was shipping him off. She'd come to the hospital later for a check-up, but their paths had mysteriously failed to meet, leaving him lonely and angry at his own self-pity. He'd had scans and been given the all clear with a mild concussion and two stitches in the back of his head. Severide picked him up.

'Yeah, yeah, it's fine, it's nothing,' Casey told him, but Severide still wore his sly little smile. 'What?'

'Would you say you were feeling a little… _fried_.'

'Very funny, man,' Casey smiled, appreciating the effort. '…But not actually that funny? I mean, 'fried'? C'mon, try a bit harder. So how'd you get on?'

'Oh, y'know, we were busy actually fighting the fire, not just cooking in it.' Casey rolled his eyes skyward. 'There was a fire escape down the right of the building, so we got them to that rather than taking them down the ladder.' Severide was silent for a moment or two while they drove. 'That was a really dumb move you pulled in there,' he said quietly. 'You had us all worried.'

'Yeah, sorry,' Casey squinted into the setting sun.

'I mean, it was a smart one, but a dumb one.' He tried to imagine sitting on his hands while Severide was stuck in an industrial oven in the middle of a factory fire, and felt vaguely panicked at the thought.

'I know,' he said, then punched Severide on the arm. 'Next time, you take the oven, I'll take the ladder?' Severide's face had split into a smile.

'What, and slow-roast _over_ the fire instead of in it? Nah way man.'

And now he was waiting at Molly's, while one by one, everyone filled in, making quips about roast chicken and kebabs and leaving the oven on.

'Very funny, guys. How long is this going to last?' Mauden had arrived and so, at some point, had Dawson, but she didn't immediately come over to see him, and he was damned if he was going to go and see her, especially seeing as she was stood at the bar with Mauden. Casey watched them over Capp's shoulder; Mauden was being all attentive as he listened to Dawson. He made himself look away, lest either of them looked in his direction, but he needn't have worried - they were deep in conversation.

The next few hours passed slowly, without beer, and with an unquenchable thirst and a headache that the painkillers weren't touching. He was aware of Dawson the whole time, and had to plaster his smile onto his face as he listened to retellings of the day, nodding away and tipping his glass of water to Otis, who'd found the ventilation shaft that had led to the kiln.

Dawson came over, asked how he was, then went to the bar for another drink and didn't return. Severide whistled through his teeth but Casey ignored him, and they went back to talking about hockey. It was draining trying to prove he was feeling fine, great, peachy, brilliant thanks, _got a water, what else do I need?_ He'd just been thinking of leaving when:

'You feeling alright, bud?' It was Severide again.

'Fine.'

'You're kind of crazy smiling.'

'Am I?' He took the smile down a notch. But then he had to stay another hour, to prove he was feeling alright. Finally, he gave up, got up to go to the toilet and slipped out, unaware of Mauden watching him go over the top of his beer.

Halfway home, Casey's phone rang: it was Severide, not Dawson.

'I'm fine, just tired. Half-baked, y'know?' That got a cheer from Severide, and he hung up the phone to the call of 'shots.' Then someone called his name, and this time it was Dawson.

'Casey?' He turned to see her coming up the road behind him, her hat pulled down over her ears. A strange emotion flooded Casey's stomach, something like relief and excitement, as well as anger, like _why was she here, why now?_ She was wearing that tight smile, carefully tempered concern. 'You know you shouldn't be on your own.'

The warm feeling in his stomach rapidly cooled.

'I'm fine, honestly. I'm getting pretty sick of people asking me that,' he snapped.

'Matt, everyone's concerned.'

'Well,' he turned and kept walking, and to his irritation and pleasure, she followed. They walked in awkward silence for the last few blocks, and it struck him that she was coming all the way home with him. Gathering himself, he turned to her.

'Look, I'm sorry, I'm just tired, ok? You should go back to the others and have fun.' That only seemed to irritate her.

'Matt, it's fine, I'm here now, aren't I?' _You clearly don't want to be, _he wanted to say, given the look on her face.

'Really, Gabby. Let's not do this now.' They were nearly at the front door. He'd meant that having a deep discussion now wasn't the best idea, but from her accusatory stare, she clearly thought he meant the other thing.

'Jeez, Matt, really?'

'No, I didn't mean _that_…'

'I just wanted to see you home safely.' _Safely_, he thought. _Like you're _my_ lieutenant._

'Yeah, well, here we are. Off you go. And actually, maybe I should see you back to Molly's safely. Come on, let's go. I'm _concerned_.' He was fully aware of how petulant he sounded.

'Matt, stop it. I just wanted to-'

'Wanted to what? Wanted to talk? Because you've managed to avoid that pretty well for weeks.'

'Forget it Matt, I can't be bothered with this.' She shook her head, that familiar, infuriating look of disappointment in her eyes.

'You've made that clear.' He pulled his keys from his pocket.

'Made what clear?'

'Just go, go have fun.' He spat. But that was exactly the wrong thing to say. It occurred to him later that he should have asked her to stay, just like before.

'That's exactly right, isn't it Matt. It's just easier if I go.'

'It'll be more enjoyable all round, won't it? Clearly for _you_ at least.' _Mauden_, he was thinking, and she knew it.

'Fine, Casey,' she said, sounding suddenly tired. 'See you.' And she was gone.

'Shit,' Casey said, catching himself before he punched the wall again. Then he let himself in, drank another litre of water, and went to bed.

**Hi everyone, hope you are enjoying the story. It's turning into quite a long one and we're just getting started. Any thoughts and feedback muchly appreciated.**

**Peace x**


	5. Chapter 5

**Hello everyone! Thanks for the reviews, here's the next instalment, hope y'all enjoy it. Things cheer up for a bit (some fun and games, drunkenness etc) so hopefully everyone will be happy. Things will probably get dark again, so enjoy it while it lasts ****J**

**2NYwLove and qongo, thanks for your lovely comments about my writing – made me smile!**

**Peace x**

'What are you doing here?' Herrmann shouted at Casey, who wandering through the kitchen on his way to the office. 'You're meant to be taking the day, remember?' Herrmann mimed knocking his head and rolling his eyes into a faint.

'Yeah, well,' Casey cleared his throat, 'not a lot to do at home. Isn't there a basketball game that needs reffing anyway?'

'Sure is, 1800 sharp.'

_Truck 81, Squad 3 Ambulance 61, battalion 25, vehicle collision_… The siren sounded. Casey stepped into his office and leant against the doorframe as the others flew down the corridor. Mauden passed, calling:

'Put the kettle on, Casey.'

'It's _Lieutenant,'_ he snapped after him, but Mauden was already gone. Severide passed him, gave him a critical look; he'd overheard the short exchange.

'It's ok,' he said, 'I got this.' But then he too was gone.

The call had been straightforward enough, but Casey still made Severide give him a full update when they returned.

'Is the inquisition over? I need to go change,' Severide said, after his blow by blow account, and Casey shoved him out of his office ahead of him.

'Yeah, alright, go on. And I want to see clean play from you and Brett.' He made his way out to the bench at the front of the house to wait for everyone else, and Brett, Severide, Mills and Otis to arrive.

'Not playing, Lieutenant?' Mauden asked, sitting down heavily next to him, spoiling his mood, _again_. He frowned. Even without the concussion, he and Herrmann had suffered a near catastrophic defeat from Severide and Brett in the semi-finals, and Mauden knew it. There was a spark in his eyes.

'Nope,' Casey replied shortly

'Right-o,' there was that cheery smile. 'Need a hand reffing?'

'Nope.' Dawson appeared and sat down beside Casey, handing him a coffee. It was a sign of friendship, for which he was very grateful. He'd been replaying their argument all day, picking apart what he should've said, what she might've meant, and had come to the frustrating conclusion that he'd been out of line. He was pleased to see she hadn't brought one for Mauden. Mauden, it seemed, had also noticed.

'Where's mine, babe?' He asked her. Dawson gave a short laugh.

'Get it yourself,' she said, at the same time Casey said:

'Don't call your seniors _babe, _Candidate.'

'Whatever,' Mauden muttered, shoving his hands into his pockets and leaning back against the wall. Dawson nudged Casey gently with her elbow, telling him with her eyes to drop it. He tilted his head in acknowledge, trusting her well enough to know that _she_ wouldn't drop it.

'Don't call anyone _babe_, trust me,' she told Mauden coldly.

'What's this, relationship 101?' Mauden asked shrewdly, the smile gone. His face when he wasn't smiling was much less appealing, with a wide downturned mouth and wideset eyes like a frog. Casey got the distinct impression that he wasn't used to women speaking so candidly.

Right then, Otis and Mills jogged into the courtyard, cheering themselves and punching the air. There was a lot of ceremony about the basketball tournaments, and reaching the finals was a great achievement, as Otis and Mills were keen to reinforce. The yard was full enough – even Boden had arrived, looking somewhat unimpressed.

Casey stood up, letting Herrmann take his position on the bench, reassured that Dawson wouldn't have to put up with Mauden by herself. He was finding the candidate more and more unbearable, but he'd not done anything actionable yet. Casey just didn't like the guy. _As soon as he slips up though…_

Severide and Brett let the small crowd simmer, and just when Otis and Mills were getting impatient enough to warrant Casey going to find them, they arrived, the hoods of their Chicago FD hoodies drawn over their heads. Their faces were set and serious, everyone cheered and laughed, and Casey was overwhelmed with appreciation for them all.

The game was remarkably close, despite Severide and Brett's superiority. They played messily, clumsily at first, and Otis and Mills drew ahead. Then Severide fouled Mills, innocently enough, and Casey was forced to award them a penalty. It looked like history was about to be made, as Severide and Brett were still behind coming into the final quarter, but then they took a time-out, put their heads together, and came back to the game with a heroic effort, winning by just 3 points.

It was such a good game it was as though Mills and Otis had won, or at least drawn, so gracious and jubilant were they in their defeat. And Severide and Brett, humbled by such a close win, were seen as mere mortals of the court again.

'Bring on the next tournament,' Herrmann cheered. 'We'll have you!' Heading to Molly's, listening to Dawson chat eagerly enough, though somewhat restrained, about their earlier call to the road collision, Casey felt as content as he had in weeks.

Within three days, everything was back to normal. Most jokes about the oven had stopped, Casey's headache was gone, Dawson was talking to him (though formally, respectfully), Mauden was largely ignoring him. That was until Severide decided they should hit the town. He stuck his head around Casey's door, looking mischievous. 'C'mon, let's go out tonight? I'm bored, the game's on. We can have a few beers, meet some people.' Severide's idea of 'have a few beers and meet some people' was different to most, but the idea was appealing enough. Chicago was tricking them again, luring them into a false sense of security as it had before the factory fire, and everyone was tense.

'Alright, sounds good.'

'Mauden, you in?' Mauden was walking past and Severide grabbed him and pulled him into Casey's office.

'What's that?'

'Drinks. Tonight.' Mauden's face split into that wide grin.

'You bet.' Severide shushed them quickly as Herrmann wandered past, but his eyes fell on them with a deep frown.

'Hey, what's going on? What're you guys up to?' His eyes narrowed. Severide and Casey couldn't help but laugh, so desperate was the look on his face. 'Oi, you,' Herrmann homed in on Mauden, 'tell me what's going on. You tell me and I'll make life easier for you. You don't tell me, life gets hard. Simple.'

Mauden looked from Severide to Casey and then back to Herrmann and in that instance, Casey decided that maybe he wasn't so bad after all.

'Don't look at me, I don't know nothing,' he exclaimed, and Herrmann left outraged. 'What, don't we want him along or something?'

'Bachelors only tonight. He'll come and mouth off about peewee hockey and bedtime schedules.'

'And fatherhood turns people into drinking machines. We can't keep up with him,' Casey said. Mauden looked like he was going to say something, probably about how he could drink Herrmann under the table, but then he seemed to catch himself and shut his mouth. When he left, Casey turned to Severide.

'Really? Mauden?' Severide shrugged.

'Thought we should try a different tack, you know? Maybe we've come down too hard on him. Can't be easy joining a house as tight as ours.' Casey threw his pen at Severide, hard, but he just caught it and threw it back.

'You've gone soft in your old age.'

'Yeah, well, if it doesn't work, I'll come down with an iron fist on him tomorrow. It's time to make or break him.' Casey already knew which way it was going to go, but he bit his tongue for diplomacy's sake, and to humour Severide.

'Fine, it's on.'


	6. Chapter 6

Everything was going well. Severide was getting happily smashed, Casey less so, mainly because he wondering when Severide would go from happy drunk to depressed drunk, and would take off with the next woman he saw or drunk himself into oblivion. Either way, Casey would be left with Mauden, which he didn't quite fancy. It was hard to tell whether Mauden was drunk or not. He was sweating slightly, his voice getting louder and the smile never left his face.

Otis was joining them later, but no one else. Casey had cracked and invited Herrmann after he spent the whole day stomping around and glaring at them.

'Oh, jeez, hell no. The kids are with their grandparents tonight, I'm staying in.' Brett and Dawson were at the table next to them, Dawson looking determinedly at her phone.

'And what, don't we get an invite?' Brett said.

'Boys only, Brett.' Severide smiled.

'You're ridiculous,' she said, and she was right. Dawson was looking pointedly at him and to his dismay, he felt a venomous stab of satisfaction, because he knew she wanted to say something, or at least for _him_ to say something.

'I still don't get why you invited him,' Casey told Severide, when Mauden went to the toilet. 'He's a dick,' he said by way off explanation. Severide laughed.

'I know, but like I said, it's just tactics.' Casey snorted into his beer.

'Since when were you so _tactful_?' Severide just shrugged.

'Worth a try.' But Casey couldn't help thinking going on the friend-offensive with a guy like Mauden was just going to inflate his ego further. Plus, their relationship was a little too cold to be redeemable.

'You'd have rather we invited Dawson, wouldn't you?' Severide said mischievously. Casey waved him away.

'Nah. You're right – boys night tonight.' Mauden returned, and as the night progressed, Casey began knocking back drinks with more enthusiasm.

'So, how're you settling in?' Severide asked him, in a lull.

'Pretty darn good. Everyone's been pretty good to me so far, it's just good to learn the ropes, y'know? I'm learning who everyone is, all the politics, what's out of bounds and what's not.' Severide made instant eye contact with Casey, whose blood ran a little cold. Before he could say anything, Severide spoke.

'You know, we're not that sort of house… Relationships, tricky stuff like that, doesn't work so well.' Mauden snorted.

'Yeah, so I've heard.' He looked pointedly at Casey, then took a giant swig of beer.

'Whatever, man. Just don't,' said Severide, annoyed and clearly drunk. 'I'ma get more drinks,' he slurred, 'we're out.'

_Cheers buddy_, Casey thought as Severide staggered to the bar, _leave me with this asshole then._

'Look, I'm sorry man, I don't want to step on your toes.' Mauden had finally stopped smiling and was watching Casey carefully. Casey decided to wait him out and stayed quiet. 'Y'know, just it's a new place, new job and all that, it'd be good to have someone to keep the bed warm at night, bit of fun off-duty.'

Casey nearly choked, but Mauden just winked at him. Then: raised voices by the bar. Casey looked over to where Severide stood with two pints of beer; the third had just smashed.

'Just watch what you're doing, you oaf.' Someone shouted. Casey stood up for a better look, but Mauden had already leapt off his stool and was pushing through the crowds.

'Chill out,' Severide was saying, clearly through gritted teeth. The offended man, his face puffy with drink, stood up, and Severide had to step backwards. 'Just back off, I said I'm sorry.'

Mauden arrived and without hesitating, punched the man in the face.

'Shit,' said Casey, forcing into the crowd. By the time he got there, Mauden had the guy in a headlock; Severide was trying to pull him off. That was, until someone blindsided Severide and they both hit the floor. 'Shit!' Casey shouted. Half a second to decide whether to pull Mauden off the drunk, or help Severide. He chose Severide, threw himself onto the man's back, yanked him backwards. Then he turned to Mauden. A fist he didn't even see coming hit him in the face, and he hit the deck.

Lying on the floor of the bar, he made eye contact with Severide, who gave him a wry smile and mouthed, 'hello.' Casey nearly laughed, until someone stomped on the small of his back. After that, it was hard to tell what happened. He managed to get upright, pulled to his feet by Severide. Mauden had laid the original drunk out on the floor and had moved onto the next. Then the fight dissolved into scrapping, someone had their arm round his neck and he punched them in the gut to make them let go. When that didn't work, he stamped his heel down on their instep and was rewarded with a perversely satisfying shout of pain. The man tried to throw another punch, but it glanced off his ear. Casey went to hit him back, but he was disorientated and it landed weakly.

'Matt! Let's go.' Severide grabbed his arm before he could try again and pulled him backwards. Casey's vision cleared. There were four angry men in various states before them, one groaning on the floor, the other three homing in on them. Mauden was by the door. 'Run!' He shouted happily.

'Shit,' Casey said again, and then they were tearing out of the bar, pounding down the street. The men followed but gave up quickly. They were heavy set, drunk.

'What the hell, man?' Severide shouted after a few blocks. 'You didn't have to punch the guy!'

'What? He was a thug, he would've floored you. Had to get in there first.' Mauden was smiling. Casey spat blood, put his hand to his rapidly swelling eye. Severide's shirt was spattered with blood from his nose.

'Why do I feel like you've got away with this lightly?' Severide groaned, saying exactly what Casey felt. 'You need to go home, Mauden. Night's over.'

But the night wasn't over, not for Casey and Severide. They went home, sat on their sofa with a bag of frozen sweetcorn and a bag of frozen peas, both elated and angry. Otis arrived with another couple of sixpacks, and sat and listened as they recounted the fight. Then, even drunker, they went back out to a different bar. Everyone was staring at them, the girls especially. Severide was lapping it up, retelling the fight with more grandeur each time. But Casey was drinking too much and saw Gabby everywhere, dark hair, leather jacket, heard her laugh behind him, smelt her perfume on passing women. He wanted to call her, which was stupid, because he was pissed. Another couple of shots later and he called her anyway. She picked up on the sixth ring, and then his phone died.

**Soooo what d'yall think? Damn Casey, why won't he just talk to her? And when will someone put Mauden in his place? I had loads of fun writing this one, everyone loves a good drunken bar brawl.**

**Jscat2, 2NYwLove, Sarrabr4 and Ghostwriter, thanks for sticking with it you guys, really appreciate your comments ****J**

**Peace x**


	7. Chapter 7

'It's iron fist time,' Casey told Severide. They were in the locker room. Brett had given them some makeup to try and cover up Casey's black eye and Severide's swollen nose.

'Agreed,' Severide said, looking sour. They were both hugely hungover and regretting the decision to go back out after the fight. That wasn't the only thing Casey was regretting – he'd remembered with a gutting feeling his failed phonecall to Dawson. It was infantile and unprofessional, and now he was going to have to apologise.

Casey told Severide about Mauden provoking him over Dawson as he tried to decide the difference between foundation, cover-up and a weird shimmery powder. 'He said that?' Severide asked, disbelieving.

'Yeah, I don't like it. I don't like this guy. The balls! I'm his lieutenant. I'm going to talk to him.'

'He was drunk. Here, use that one,' Severide pointed at the liquid foundation.

'We were all drunk.'

'He's got a better right hook than you do.'

'Get lost… did you use blusher?'

'What the hell, Casey? No! Why would we use blusher?'

'Oh, sorry,' Casey snickered, 'thought you had.'

But the night's adventures had made him feel better, regardless of Mauden. Maybe it was the alcohol, or maybe it was the good old-fashioned fight. He found Dawson in the dorm, reading on her bed. She caught sight of his black eye and her mouth dropped open in shock and humour. It was the loveliest look.

'I heard about your little scrap.' He sat on the bed opposite her and smiled as she tilted her head to better look at the shiner.

'Scrap?' He gasped. 'It was a… strong… manly fight. With broken bottles and pool cues.'

'Really? I thought it was three drunk guys and too much testosterone.'

'Whatever, blame Severide.'

'Getting into a fight, Matt, after a concussion?' She shook her head.

'I told them not to touch the head,' he gestured to his black eye, 'just the face. They were very obliging.'

'I was worried, when you rang. I thought something had happened.'

'Oh, yeah, wrong number,' he grunted. 'Sorry.' _Damnit. _He hadn't meant to avoid the subject. He'd meant to own up to his mistake. Dawson was looking at him with a knowing smile. He cleared his throat and dropped his gaze. 'Look, Gabby, I've been acting like a real ass, I'm sorry. It's just, when we were in that factory, in the kiln… I thought I'd killed us both. We were lucky…' Gabby stopped smiling.

'No, Matt. It's wasn't luck, it was good leadership. We never would've got out of there if we'd tried. You made the right decision.'

'Well… I appreciate that.' She waited patiently, knowing he had more to say. 'I'm sorry too, for the way I've been acting. I've been a dick. I just thought it would be easier being friends.'

Dawson sighed, put down her book and leant forwards to take his hand, running her fingers over his bruised knuckle. 'I know, me too. I'm sorry too. I know I've been kind of cold.' Casey grunted. Got that right. 'It's just… not easy being around you.' Casey didn't know what to say, the urge to lean forward and kiss her was overwhelming and for the longest time, he just looked at her and with each passing second, his resolve weakened.

Then Severide walked in, and Dawson dropped his hand, sitting back abruptly. 'Things'll only get better from here, Lieutenant,' she said, putting back on her professional face. Casey's own face hardened. _Stupid stupid stupid._

'Sure Dawson, let's hope so.'

The talk hadn't particularly cleared the air, but at least there wasn't a solid wall between them as there had been before. They were talking like normal people, like friends. The coldness was leaving her, albeit slowly, all that standoffish behaviour, the awful silence of the factory.

'Candidate,' Casey called to Mauden as he walked towards the lockers. 'Can I have a moment?' He might as well sort everything out in one fail swoop. Mauden didn't immediately turn around. 'Candidate!'

'Oh, what's up Casey.'

'That's Lieutenant Casey to you.'

'Yes _sir_.'

'We need to talk about your-'

'How's the eye?'

'Fine. Look, Mauden-'

'Not fast enough, that's what it is. You should come down to where I box, I could show you a few things.'

'Candidate,' Matt said forcibly, his mood plummeting. 'Listen. About your conduct, there're a few things we need to straighten up here. Firstly, you always address me as Lieutenant, ok? Secondly, I never, ever-'

'Yes, Lieutenant. Sorry Lieutenant,' Mauden smirked.

'Secondly, you never ever hit someone like that in my presence again. We are firefighters, not bar brawlers.' Mauden scoffed.

'That was for Severide. I had his back.'

'You endangered us, Candidate.'

'Whatever, man…' Mauden crossed his arms, looking down on Casey slightly. It was the look of a man trying to intimidate.

'_Lieutenant_,' Casey said. Mauden was silent, grinding his teeth so loudly Casey could hear them. Then:

'Lieutenant.'

'Thirdly. Never question me like you did in the factory. Don't hesitate when I tell you to do something, just do it, else I'll have you out of here, regardless of how new you are. And fourth. Don't you go near Dawson. I don't even want to see you looking at her the wrong way, you understand?' There hadn't been a fourth point, but Casey couldn't help himself. 'Am I making myself clear.' Mauden's lip twitched.

'Yes, _Lieutenant_. Can I go now?'

'Yeah, to the bathrooms. I want you on cleaning duty, right now.' Casey shifted his weight to his back foot, fully expecting Mauden to hit him, so venomous was the look on his face. _So now you show your true colours. Go on, do it._

But Mauden backed away, suddenly indifferent. The smile was back.

'Sure Lieutenant, whatever you say,' and he left. Casey let out his breath, sweating.

'What was that about?' Herrmann asked, coming up behind him, making him jump.

'Nothing. Yet.'

'You talk to Mauden? How'd it go?' Severide asked, seeing the look on Casey's face as they sat down for lunch.

'Badly. This guy has an attitude problem. It's not ok. I just…' _I just have a bad feeling about him_, he wanted to say. 'He's got issues with authority.'

'Look Casey, he's harmless, ok? I mean, he's a bit of a douche. I'll have a word too. We can put him on bathroom duty. Crush it out of him.'

'Already have. Thought he was going to hit me.' Severide raised an eyebrow. 'I'm serious, I'm going to take this to Boden if it doesn't stop.'

'Take what to me, Lieutenant?' Boden stood over them both, looking expectant. Casey groaned inwardly.

'Can we talk in your office, Chief?'

'Sure, let's go.' Casey stood up and followed Boden. Mauden, who was clearing dishes, watched them go.

In Boden's office, Casey laid it all out; he reiterated Mauden's conduct in the factory, his insolence, starting the fight. His argument sounded thin and he knew it. He tried to steer clear what Mauden had said about Dawson, phrasing it something like 'lack of respect to female members of the house', staring straight over Boden's head. Still, he was worried that Boden would dismiss it as protectiveness and unprofessional on Casey's part.

'So, you're saying he has an attitude problem?'

'Yes,' Casey nodded, relieved.

'So what do you want to do about it Lieutenant?' Casey shifted uncomfortably, imagining Mauden stood outside, listening in. He hated how insecure it was making him feel, of his own judge of character, his leadership.

'Nothing, sir. He's new, I think we should give him the benefit of the doubt. I've addressed his conduct in person and made it clear he needs to look at his behaviour. I've also put him on bathroom and cleaning duty.'

'Ok then, good. Keep an eye on him, and keep me posted.'

'Thanks Chief.'

**Hi gang! Thanks for the reviews **** Don't worry, Mauden will be put in his place eventually (or will he? Ha!) I couldn't help bigging up the bromance, I love the Casey/Severide dynamic but things will also be getting a lot more Dawsey over the next few chapters.**

**What do you think?**

**Peace.**


	8. Chapter 8

**Hiya all, sorry it's been so long, I've been away and had to shelve this for a while. But here is Chapter 8! Thank you to my faithful reviewers Sarrabr4, prince-bishop, jscat2 and Ghostwriter, glad you guys are enjoying yourselves ****:)**

Routine, as far as routine existed. They were at a fire in a block of flats. It had started in the kitchen and spread to two flats next door. Nothing too challenging yet. They were evacuating door to door as the building started to darken with smoke. Severide was outside with the ladder and the engine, while Casey directed people down the stairwell. Dawson following closely by his side, with Mauden, Cruz and Otis behind them. By the time they reached the floors above the fire, which was on the seventh, the sound of the fire had become more ferocious. Casey paused, listening, judging. He turned to Dawson. She could see the worried set of his face through his mask.

'This is getting too changeable, the wind is strong.'

'We've got two more floors,' she said.

'Ok, let's step it up. Last two and then we're back down. Mauden, stay on the stairwell and let us know if it changes.' The fire was still a way off the stairwell, but if the wind changed, they were in deep trouble.

They found an old couple, terrified, in their flat. Casey sent Otis and Cruz down with them. In the next flat, they found three men in their twenties, groggy and confused, peering out of the door.

In the last flat, they found a woman with a baby and small boy, sheltering in a bedroom. 'Come with me, ma'am. Let's get you out. Chief, we're on our way down. We're clear up here.' Casey picked up the crying boy and gestured for Dawson to lead the way out of the flat. She let out her breath, unaware she'd been holding it. It was always the same as they wound down a call, the relief that nothing had gone hugely wrong. She was extra-aware of Casey behind her.

Dawson ushered the three youths ahead of her, into the stairwell and down past Mauden, who was waiting patiently where they'd left him.

'No change, Lieutenant, its all clear,' Mauden said as she passed him. Casey let the woman beside him pause to gather her son into her arms, watching as Dawson disappeared safely down the stairs.

'Good, let's go.' They were at the floor of the fire, which was now thick with smoke and the hallway tinged with orange, when Mauden grabbed Casey's arm.

'Wait, I heard someone! Hello?' He turned back up the stairs, started shouting out. 'Firefighter, call out! Sir, I heard someone, someone's up there.' Casey hoisted the baby in his arms, sheltering his face to his shoulder. The smoke was too thick to stop for long.

'You sure?'

'Yeah.'

'How sure?'

'I'm sure, sir.'

'Here,' he passed the boy to Mauden, trying to read his mind. He couldn't afford to be suspicious, not if there were lives at risk, but he didn't trust Mauden as far as he could throw him. 'Get them out.'

'I should come.'

'Go. Get them out.' And he turned back up the stairs. 'Chief, I'm going back up. There's still people up there.'

'Casey, you've got two minutes.' Dawson, waiting on the pavement, had a horrible sense of déjà vu when she heard Casey's voice on the radio. Mauden appeared from the doorway holding the baby, with an arm around the mother and boy.

'Who's up there?' Severide called to him. Mauden shrugged, passing the baby to Brett.

'I don't know. Casey said he heard someone.' Severide look to Dawson, and they both turn to Boden.

'Go,' he said, before either of them said anything. 'You've got two minutes.'

Casey went from room to room, calling and listening, but there was no response. _The bastard, _he thought. _The lying bastard_. Then he heard Severide and Dawson's voices, calling his name. He found their torches through the smoke.

'_There's no one here_. _He lied. I'm going to kill him.'_ Casey was furious, shaking in anger and brushed Dawson off when she tried to reach out to him. '_We need to get out now_.' The fire had reached the stairwell, but only just, and they leapt through it. Casey flew out of the door first, ripping off his helmet, bearing down on Mauden who was stood with the mother and her two children by the ambulance; Casey didn't see them, just Mauden.

'_You lying bastard_,' he was running now. But then Boden stepped between them, both hands raised, his face thunderous. Dawson and Severide ran behind, their gear making them slow and clumsy.

'_Lieutenant_!' Boden roared. Casey stopped, his stomach turning. Over Boden's shoulder, Mauden's mouth twitched in the tiniest of smirks. If Severide hadn't grabbed the back of his jacket and pulled him backwards, he would've swung for him, Boden or no Boden.

'Do your job, Casey. We have a flat fire to deal with. We will discuss this back at the house.' Severide pulled Casey away, even as he fought him off. Onlookers watched them silently. Both the baby and the boy were crying.

'Shit,' Casey said, throwing Severide off him. 'Fuck you,' he shouted at Mauden, who still said nothing.

'_CASEY_!' Boden shouted. Casey had reached his helmet and he rammed it back on his head. Severide was still beside him, making sure he wouldn't try anything. Dawson stayed by his side too, desperately wanting him to calm down. She had a new sense of a déjà vu, one that was accompanied by a similar feeling of horror, because she hadn't seen Casey this angry since the restaurant.

It was Casey's word against Mauden's. Boden had them in the office, and Casey's anger had turned very, _very_ cold indeed. He knew Boden would listen to him over Mauden, their history, their friendship and respect – that was clearly something Mauden hadn't factored in. So Casey forced himself to stay calm.

But what concerned Casey most, was why Mauden was staying infuriatingly calm too.

'I heard someone. Why would I lie?'

'I'm suspending you with pay, until this is independently reviewed, but Candidate, it's not looking good. We're done here, off you go. Casey, I need to talk to you. Stay here.' Mauden didn't move. 'I said you can leave, Candidate.' Casey stood up, opened the door and held it open to Mauden. Finally, he scraped back his chair. The all-smiling Mauden was gone, not likely to return to House 51, Casey thought grimly.

'I mean, what were you thinking? What were you going to get out of that?' He said, unable to help himself. Mauden's hand twitched, as though he was going to throw a punch. Casey saw it and so did Boden.

'You're out of here, Mauden. We'll do this the proper way, I'm opening a complaint. Depending on the commission, I'll act on their findings.' Mauden gave Casey one last filthy look and left. Casey shut the door and sat back down, trying surreptitiously to wipe the sweat from his temple.

'Thanks, Chief. I guess he jus-'

'Casey,' Boden settled backwards into his chair and crossed his arms. He seemed lost for words momentarily, then sighed and carried on. 'I'm suspending you too. We have to do this _correctly_, we have to be by the book, which means that it's his word against yours and I can't be seen to… It'll be for a fortnight, Lieutenant, pending the review of the commission.'

'Chief…' Casey felt suddenly strangled, gutted. 'He _wanted_ me to go back up there, he couldn't have made it more plain.'

'I know, Casey,' Boden said, holding up his hands. 'But this isn't just about Mauden. You've been getting into fights? You've physically threatened a candidate, and in front of the public? There could've been cameras there. I think you just need to take some time, take a few weeks to get some rest, think things over, and I trust that the truth will out and we'll have you back before long.'

Dawson was waiting for Casey outside the office and when Mauden walked out and gave her wink, she feared the worst, disbelieving that Boden would ever believe the candidate over Casey. But then Casey walked out, shaking with anger, still smelling of smoke and sweat from the fire, and told her that Mauden had been suspended, as had he.

'Chief had no choice,' he grunted, but the look on his face suggested otherwise. 'Do me a favour and tell Severide. I can't be bothered…' He brushed past her. Suddenly, she was the last person he wanted to speak to. In fact, he didn't want to see or speak to anyone.

'Casey, wait,' she called to him. 'Are you ok? I've not seen you that angry since…' That brought him up short and he whirled back around.

'Gabby, he wanted me _dead_. He could've gotten you and Kelly killed. Damn right I was angry.'

'I know, I know…' Dawson said quickly, throwing her hands up in exactly the same way as Boden had moments before. She knew exactly how this was going to go down with him, but she had to say it anyway. 'You've been acting erratically, you look awful… I mean, what am I meant to think?'

'Are you kidding Gabby? This guy has been on it since he arrived. He's been gunning for me, and you. You think I'm paranoid? Because I hit my head?'

'Can you blame me? You said nothing, last time. _Nothing_. And we were living together. You just gotta talk to someone sometimes-'

'Yeah? Well, I have been, just not to you. You'll just have to deal with that.' He'd meant he'd been talking to Herrmann and Severide, hell, even Boden, but he saw the hurt in her eyes and was too angry to clarify it.

'Ok Matt,' she put her hands up in defeat, 'whatever.'

'Yeah. _Whatever_,' he snapped, abandoning his plans to get his stuff from his office, instead walking back past her, ignoring Mouch and Capp who called to him from the canteen. Severide was on the apparatus floor and he was speechless at the look on Casey's face.

'Forget it,' Casey snapped at him. Mills and Brett appeared around the back of the bus, their smiles froze when they saw him, and his humiliation grew. 'See you at home.'

He left, passing Mauden's stupid Ferrari red ford parked outside the House. Mauden was sat in it, and Casey resisted the temptation to yank open the door and punch him in the face. They made eye contact and Mauden winked. Casey ignored it and kept on walking.


	9. Chapter 9

He was paranoid, he knew, but he had just reason to be. Four days ago, Severide had been on shift – the first one since Casey's suspension - and he'd been taking the bins out. It was late, approaching midnight, but he realised he had turned the apartment into something of a cesspit while Severide had been on duty. Empty pizza boxes and Chinese takeaway cartoons stacked on the kitchen countertop. It was bad, but he'd just lost all motivation. He'd been for a run and to the gym, but that barely occupied him till lunchtime, so the rest of the day he spent moping on the sofa.

Guiltily, he tidied the flat and hoovered it, but when he'd taken the trash out, he'd heard something at the end of the alley, and there'd been a flicker in the shadows.

'Hello?' He'd called, stopping with one hand on the top of the bin. Nothing. Slowly, he lowered the bin bag to the floor. 'Hello? Who's there?' He began to pick his way down the alley, eyes fixed on the fence and the dumpster at the other end. He jolted in panic when someone called his name from behind:

'Matt? You talking to yourself?' Severide appeared around the front of the alley, but Casey shushed him with his hand, and carried on down it. His heart was pounding. At the back of the alley, there was a metal fence that led to the road behind. Severide followed softly behind him. 'What's going on?'

There was movement on the other side of the fence, sudden and abrupt. Casey started forward, getting one foot firmly halfway up the fence and vaulted it easily. A dark shape disappeared around the corner.

'What the hell? What's going on?' Severide asked, climbing the fence and landing heavily on the pavement beside him.

'…heard something… someone…there was someone out there.' He started in the direction the figure had taken, but Severide put his hand on his arm.

'Matt? What's going on?'

'There was someone back there. They just… ran off!' Severide frowned.

'What, you mean, like, watching you?'

'Yeah, they must've just been stood back there or something. Waiting or I dunno…'

'Casey,' Severide was shaking his head, and Casey realised with a jolt that he didn't believe him. 'It was probably just a fox.'

'It wasn't a fox, Kelly… It was a person.' He was too disappointed to be angry. With his suspension and everything with Mauden, he'd been treated with suspicion and caution, and now he was claiming that there was someone hiding down their alley? Severide was bound to be cynical, but it still gave him a strange sick feeling, like he really had no one to turn to. Severide sensed his disappointment.

'Look, we'll keep an eye out, ok? There's just no point chasing off after…'

'Shadows?'

'Chasing after whatever was there. C'mon, let's go inside. You made me dinner, right, honey?'

Since then, he'd found himself staring out the window, lying in bed a night listening for anything unusual, jolting at faces in a crowd that bore a passing resemblance to Mauden. It was stupid, he knew full well, and he couldn't say anything to the others. His frustration was made worse by the face he knew nothing about what was going at 51, apart from what Severide told him after shift.

Since then, Herrmann had brought his kids over for Casey to look after while he went to visit his parents. They'd baked brownies, which rose, and cupcakes, which stayed as flat as biscuits, went to play ball in the park, and then watched film after film after film. Casey was amazed that they had the attention span to sit in front of the screen for so long (and was in no way ungrateful). Every now and then, he'd look out the window, thinking, what if Mauden came over now, while I've got this gang with me? What would I do? He started making a vague plan to put them in the bathroom, in the bath, if things went south, but stopped himself when he realised what he was doing. You're being absurd, he thought.

When Herrmann came to pick them up and found them all conked out on the sofa, he immediately scheduled them in for the next week.

'Hey, if the hearing doesn't go as planned, I think we've found your new vocation,' Herrmann grunted as he picked up the youngest. 'Our nanny.'

Otis and Cruz had also visited for a poker night with Severide. Casey quit while he was ahead and watched as Severide cleared out Otis and Cruz. Otis especially refused to fold, and Severide came away with free drinks at Molly's for the next month, any night, every night, of his choosing.

Severide decided to make the most of that the following night with the rest of the house, but Casey declined to join them. He couldn't face everyone there, at Molly's, maybe even Boden, avoiding him and the subject of his suspension.

He was staring out the window in such a daze of anxiety that he only recognised the person walking down the road when they turned at the door of the building, and the buzzer rang.

He leapt across the room to pick up the phone.

'Dawson,' he gasped. 'Hi!'

**Hi y'all, sorry for the long silence! I've been super busy and had to take some time out of writing. Just getting back into it and will hopefully be posting a bit more frequently. We're gearing up for some serious Dawsey… but I'ma make you wait a bit longer! The path of true love never was smooth.**


	10. Chapter 10

**Hi everyone, thanks for sticking with me. Hope you enjoy this next chapter, had the moment fun writing it. Just so you all know, I started this ages ago, **_**before **_**things were kind of back on with Dawson and Casey (hurrah though!). I started it in the height of their not talking to each other phase. Sarrabr4 and Ghostwriter, I'm happy you're still with me on this **** Mycalmhidesastorm – damn right! Let me know what y'all think!**

'Come on up,' Casey told Dawson, who waited below. He answered the door feeling breathless and taken aback, to find Dawson looking somewhat bashful with a tray covered in tinfoil.

'Is that…?' He asked, smelling it. Dawson smiled.

'Lasagne.'

'For me?'

'No, I just wanted to make you sit and watch while I ate it.'

'Very funny, come in.' She put the dish on the kitchen table, reached into her bag and pulled out a sixpack of beer, grinning guiltily. Casey laughed out loud and opened the fridge in response, to where his own stack of beers were cooling.

'I was planning a quiet night in.'

'You didn't want to go out with the boys?' She asked. Severide _had_ asked; they were starting at Molly's and planning a boozy night, but Casey couldn't face it. He'd been avoiding everyone since his suspension. He didn't want their questions, their concern, their outrage on his behalf.

'Nah, not tonight.'

'Fair enough,' she said, in a tone that suggested she knew exactly why he wasn't going out. 'Hey, d'you reckon we could microwave this? It got a bit cold…' They opened the beer, got out plates and started clearing the table of papers and envelopes, and Casey was overwhelmed with such a feeling of normalcy that he was just chatting away, asking Dawson about everything, from House 51 to Brett's flat, to Antonio. Dawson had been quiet at first, but she pulled herself up onto the countertop and relaxed.

It was so normal, in fact, that Casey had to bring himself up short, before he got too carried away. He turned away from the microwave, to where the lasagne was now steaming.

'Dawson?' he asked. 'What're you doing here?' He hadn't meant to be so direct, but that was the overwhelming question. Dawson held his gaze for a moment then looked away, started neatening the knives and forks on the table so they were at ninety degree angles to the table edge. She shrugged. 'I mean, I'm really happy to see you… really happy you're here… It's been a bit shit, if I'm honest.' He cleared his throat and waited out the painful silence that followed.

'Well, I _shouldn't_ be, should I?' He laughed at that. 'God help us if Severide comes back, he'll kill us. Well, he'll kill _me_ and just ignore you. But no – I just… Things got bad, and I wanted to clear the air. _Properly_. After everything with Mauden and… us… I just wanted to make you were ok.' She brushed past him and picked up the lasagne using the sleeves of her jumper. He felt suddenly terribly bad; she'd been the one asking after him, checking he was ok, trying to clear the air and he'd just sat back and ignored it.

'Gabby, I'm sorry.' He caught her arm so she'd look at him, see his sincerity. 'I'm _so _happy you're here. I don't think you realise how happy.'

'C'mon,' she cleared her throat, 'else we're going to have to microwave this up all over again.'

Over dinner, they talked about Mauden, about the hearing, about the progress of the report, but he knew there was something she wasn't telling him.

'Gabby, what is it?' He had to duck his head to look into her eyes. 'You're so bad at keeping secrets…'

'I saw him.' Casey put down is fork. 'He came by Molly's a couple of days ago. I was on shift but I was just closing up. He just came in and sat at the bar wanting a drink.'

'And?'

'And nothing. I didn't give it to him because I'd already taken the stock. Like, that usually doesn't matter, but he seemed to buy it. He was just asking after everyone. He asked after you… He didn't threaten me or anything, he was fine. He was just smiling, y'know?' She shuddered. 'Never stops smiling. And then Cruz and Brett came in, thank god, and Cruz was all like, _what the hell're you doing here?_ – because you know they've all got your back, right? No one's doubted you – and he got up and left, told us all to take care, and was gone.'

Casey forced himself to finish of his lasagne, even though it was suddenly making his stomach turn.

'I don't want you being there by yourself again.'

'I know.'

'And you go everywhere with Brett.'

'I will, I already am. This was a couple of days ago. Matt, stop it. Look at me.' Casey met her eye and forced himself to relax his jaw. He was shocked.

'The thing is, he must've known when I was on shift. I don't know how he'd know that, unless…'

'Unless he'd been watching you?'

'Yeah.' She shook her head. 'I know its stupid. Maybe I'm paranoid, but I dunno. The guy gives me the creeps. I don't trust him, I don't trust anything about him. Why would he ever do that, send you back up to search for people – he must've known that if you were ok, you'd be gunning for him. He must've known he was going to get suspended. So why'd he do it?' Casey's brain was whirling. He told her about what'd happened when he'd taken the trash out, and then they were both laughing at their own paranoia, and the mood was simultaneously sky high and dark with worry. It might have been the beer and the wine, but Casey couldn't stop smiling despite himself, lightheaded with relief. _I can always trust you,_ he thought in her general direction, as they started loading up the dishwasher.

'Time is it?' Dawson muttered, squinting at her watch and chuckling at herself.

'Shit, it's gone midnight. Severide could be back…'

'This early?' She asked, a twinkle in her eyes that he'd missed so much. 'Only if he's got company.'

'This is very true.' Casey took that as a signal to pour more wine. 'But hardly unheard of. He'd kill us though, you're right. He'd be so pissed at me and you'd be on cleaning duty no matter what I say.'

'You can't say Kelly Severide isn't a loyal friend.' They moved to the sofa, both convincing each other that this was their last glass, and wilfully ignored the prospect of Severide coming home.

By one in the morning though, Casey was getting anxious. Making Dawson leave was pretty much last on the list of things he wanted right now, but if Severide came back. It wasn't worth the explaining and Dawson would take the brunt of Severide's annoyance. She thought the same; their eyes connected as she drained the last of her wine.

'I'll walk you home,' he said regretfully. But then, waiting in the hallway as Dawson put on her coat, with the front door open, Casey heard a scuffle in the stairwell. For a moment, his heart stopped, thinking: _Mauden_, but then there was a giggle, followed by Severide's unmistakable chuckle.

Casey crept back into the flat and closed the door silently. He turned to Dawson, leaving the horror unmasked on his face.

'Oh god,' she whispered.

'_Quick_, into my room,' he ushered her in, then leapt back into the living room to the turn lights off, back in the bedroom, closed the bedroom door just as Severide's key turned in the lock.

They stood there in complete darkness, hearts in throats, listening as Severide and his guest stumbled into the flat.

'Lasagne?' Severide muttered drunkenly, clearing spotting the baking dish, 'he _never _makes lasagne…'

'I'll make you lasagne, baby,' came the female's voice. Casey bit his knuckle to stifle his laughter and, taking Dawson by the wrist, led her through the darkness to his bed. His heart hadn't left his throat, where it fluttered with excitement. He felt light-headed, giddy in her company but he also knew in his wine-addled state that he needed to treat this situation with the utmost sensitivity.

'Lieutenant,' Dawson whispered from beside him, 'it would seem you've got us in another rather precarious situation…' At the softness of her voice, her proximity to him, he was wildly turned on. It was overriding any thoughts to be serious and mature.

'Seems I have. Seems like maybe this Lieutenant just likes getting himself stuck in darkened places with his candidate…' She was closer, he could feel her breath, was sure she could feel his heart beating.

'Except I'm not your candidate anymore.' If he leant just a little bit more, he would feel her lips.

'You're my-' There was a smash from the living room and both of them leapt apart. Casey fell off the end of the bed, and the moment dissolved into laughter. She reached out for him in the darkness, her fingers brushing his cheek before she found his shoulder and pulled him, laughing, back onto the bed.

'Shhh!' He gasped.

'_Shhhh_!'

As their laughter died down, and the reality of their situation sunk in, they both became sombre and the tension between them rose to a nervous, giggly awkwardness. He found her a t-shirt and pajama bottoms to wear, reassured her that he wasn't looking at her in the darkness, as she changed. Then he stripped to his boxers, put another t-shirt on and they slid beneath the covers. Casey kept poker straight, not trusting himself if he brushed up against her.

'Night, Matt.'

'G'night Gabby.'


	11. Chapter 11

**I thought I'd write a mega-long chapter to mourn the end of the season. What a way to end it! Damn writers. So, some Dawsey ahead, if anyone's interested ****:)**

**Thanks to all my faithful reviewers, I love your comments and it's the best thing about this. Let me know what you think everyone.**

Casey woke, still flat on his back and pencil straight, where he'd fallen asleep the night before. Dawson was stirring beside him. He looked over to her and saw that she had her eyes open. She bit down on a smile.

'This is potentially very incriminating,' she whispered.

'But ironically, totally innocent.' Morning drowsiness replaced alcohol in his system, and his mind felt fogged at her proximity. Her head on his pillow; a throwback to hundreds of morning where they'd lain, just the same but oh so different.

'I've got to get to work,' she said, simultaneously startling him from his reverie and compounding his golden little déjà vu.

'Yep,' he said shortly, closing his eyes dutifully whilst she changed. There was no movement from the rest of the flat. Severide would get up at the last minute, turf the poor woman out and leg it to 51 for a shower before shift.

Dawson sat abruptly on the end of the bed. The look on her face suggested she meant business.

'What's up,' he said, pulling himself upright.

'I wanted to talk…' She stopped, looked seriously at him, as though weighing up in her mind whether to retreat or plunge ahead. _Go on_, Casey thought, _talk! I'll listen, I swear._

'Uhuh?' Was all he said.

'I meant to say this all last night but –' She waved her hand and laughed, gesturing at how the night had got away from them. 'Do you know what I was thinking, in that factory?' Casey shook his head. 'Well, firstly, I was thinking, an _oven? _Really? And then I was just thinking about how glad I was that you were in there with me. And then I was also wishing you weren't in there, in case we weren't didn't make it out. I didn't want to watch you die in there.'

'Well, that's – the same. I mean, me neither – me too. I didn't want you to be in there, but – I felt the same,' he said lamely, swallowing the lump in his throat. 'Why didn't you say anything? I thought you were so mad at me.'

'Well why didn't _you _say anything?' He looked down at his hands, away from her exasperation. 'Do you know how much that's been bugging me? You thought we were going to die too, and you just said nothing.'

'Well, _you _said nothing.'

'Matt,' she threw up her hands and gave a little laugh. 'Are you hearing us right now? This is just it. You have to talk to me. I can't keep guessing what you're thinking. You can't just be so _quiet _all the time.'

'But you were so angry. We were barely being civil to each other, I didn't know what to say.'

'Of course I was angry… I still am, but we need to get over this.'

'Gabby, are we talking about this as friends, or are we talking about when we were together? Because I'm finding it really hard to separate the two.' She sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose.

'Both.' Neither of them said anything for a while. Then she said: 'Do you know why I was mad at you?'

'When?'

'After we broke up.'

'No… I mean, I thought we'd agreed to be friends. I don't understand why you were so pissed off.'

'You just accepted it, Matt. I've never known you to take anything lying down in your life, but that… you were just fine with it. I don't know what I expected, maybe it was a mistake, but it was like you wanted me to go. And what was I supposed to think?' She was waiting for an answer, but he was still replaying 'it was a mistake' in his head over and over again. 'And now we've just come so far…'

There was a low murmuring next door, Severide was waking up.

'I've got to go,' Dawson said, standing up abruptly. Casey was still too dumbfounded to answer. His thoughts felt like lava, hot and slow in his head, and before he'd even registered it, she was stood by the door, her bag over her shoulder. 'I'm sorry, I shouldn't have sprung this on you.'

'No – no, don't be sorry. _I'm_ sorry, I – just don't be sorry. I'm glad we had this talk. I'm glad you came,' was all he could manage. She gave him a pained smile, like he'd said exactly what she'd expected him to say, and left.

Casey was on Cloud 9. It was a mistake. He should've fought for her, that was all. He knew exactly what he was going to do. Gabby was on a twenty-four hour shift, and it was impossible to sit and wait. He'd cleaned the flat (again), been food shopping, made stew (one lot for Severide, one lot for Gabby), been for a run, been swimming, and it was barely afternoon. He would buy flowers, but he wanted to leave it as late in the day as possible so they wouldn't wilt before he gave them to her. She would probably come home with Brett, which posed a problem because he wanted her by himself, to say his piece. He'd been going over and over it in his head. If he didn't practise, he'd choke and say the wrong things or worse, nothing at all.

It was four pm. He was watching the news. It was a habit: the paranoia that he would see a fire, see House 51 get called to something he couldn't be there for. And then it happened – a flat fire, a monstrous one, and there they were behind the newsreader, rushing around the truck, gearing up. Where was Gabby?

And then he saw something that made all the paranoia of the past few weeks break inside him into raw panic: Mauden's Ferrari red ford, parked opposite the building. What if Mauden had got himself suspended because he knew that Casey would be suspended too? he thought suddenly.

He was pulling on his shoes before he knew what he was doing, one eye still glued to the screen. He flew out of the door, not even bothering to look for his keys. He was at the fire in 12 minutes, but the whole crew apart from Mouch and Cruz were inside.

'Chief!' He ploughed straight through the cordoned zone the police had set to hold back spectators, pushing away an officer who tried to stop him. 'I'm House 51,' he snapped, when the guy tried to pull him back. Boden saw him and waved away the officer.

'Casey, I don't know why you're here but you need to leave. _Now_.'

'Chief, listen to me. It's Mauden. He's here. I don't know why but he's doing something. That's his car.' Boden looked furious, but when Casey pointed out the car, his face faltered. For a moment, he studied it, grinding his jaw. Then he pulled his radio up to his face.

'House 51, this is now a suspected arson. You need to get out. I repeat; this is a suspected arson.'

Severide's voice crackled back to them. 'Too right, we've found three separate fires.'

The next few minutes were torture. Casey was thinking about whether he could take Cruz's kit off his back and run into the building before anyone stopped him.

It would be Sod's Law if he'd finally worked out what to say to Dawson and something happened to her. He'd never forgive himself.

'Come on,' he whispered, 'get out.' There was a rumble and the windows of the top floor blew out. But at the same time, they came running out of the front door of the building. Cruz whooped.

Casey counted them all, his family. Then he shrunk back behind the truck. Mauden was still around and he was damned if he was going to let him get away with this. Apparently Boden read his mind because he met him around the other side of the truck.

'Don't you dare, Casey. This is a police matter. Go home and wait for your hearing.'

'But Chief-'

'No buts. If you go looking for him, you will not have a place to return to at House 51.' So Casey went and sat in his car, watching as the crew packed up the truck. He thought about how close he'd come to loosing Dawson without telling her how he felt. He thought about all the times he'd nearly lost her before, about the times he'd nearly lose her in the future.

When the truck pulled away, he drove behind it, reluctant to let it out of his sight. It was impossible to reconcile the fact that he'd almost been too late to tell her with the fact that he was now delaying things even further. Finally, he couldn't bear it. He rang Dawson's phone.

'Come on, pick up,' he murmured, but it rang out. He rang Herrmann, who picked up on the tenth ring.

'Casey, what's up?'

'Stop the truck. Tell Cruz to stop the truck.'

'What's up?' He sounded worried.

'Nothing, just stop the truck and tell Dawson to get out.' Herrmann chuckled quietly.

'Alright you old dog, but this better not get back to the chief.'

'You're telling me.' Casey pulled over his car as the truck slowed to a stop. Cruz put the lights on for good measure, and the overtaking traffic gave them a wide berth. Dawson got out and came around to the back of the truck. Her jacket was open and her t-shirt was stained with sweat. Casey met her at the front of his car.

'Now get lost,' he shouted at the truck. Herrmann hung out the window and pulled a moony face.

'Can't we stay?'

'No!' The truck pulled away, its sirens blaring a short goodbye.

Dawson was looking at him.

'I'm sorry, I couldn't wait. I just – oh, this is stupid,' he said, suddenly lost for words again. It was a physical block in his chest and in his throat, that stopped the power of emotion that he felt so strongly ever getting out. It was everything he'd ever been through, crowding him, making him panic, telling him not to bother, telling him that it was safer just to be by himself. _Just tell her_, he screamed at himself, _just get over it._ But he couldn't get over it; the fear that he wasn't strong enough held him back even more.

But Dawson understood. She took his hand.

'It's ok,' she told him softly. 'I understand.'

'No,' he snapped at her, her love and understanding being the thing to break it out of him. 'It's not ok. You shouldn't have to understand. You shouldn't have to be the understanding, patient one in all this. I'm so sorry. It's stupid. I should just be able to tell you how I feel and not be so goddamn scared. I love you more than anything in this whole world, and the thought of losing you _terrifies _me. But that's what makes me push you away and I've hurt you, and I never in a million years wanted to hurt you. So no, don't tell me it's ok. Because it's not. But it will be, in the future. I swear to always love you, and to tell you. I'm not saying that I won't still be ass, because frankly, you confuse me a lot of the time, but I promise that if ever you ask something of me or tell me something, I will tell you exactly how I feel.'

Gabby had started to cry quietly.

'You _are_ an ass, Matt Casey,' she said, brushing away a tear. It wasn't the response he'd expected. After all that, she called him an ass?

'I'm sorry.'

'You don't need to apologise.'

'I do. I do need to apologise. I'm sorry I'm an ass. I'll try not to be.'

'Don't make promises you can't keep, Matt.' He was confused. She was smiling and laughing and crying, but _still _calling him an ass? He took a step back. She saw the wild panic in his eyes and caught his hand again.

'I'm sorry, I'm not laughing at you, I swear. I'm laughing because I feel like we could do this for eternity.'

'In a good way?'

'Yes,' she laughed. 'In a good a way.' Casey took a deep breath.

'You know how I just promised to tell you how I feel?'

'Yeah?' She said.

'Well… I'm confused.' She laughed properly, but the tears were still in her eyes.

'I know you're confused. You're adorable when you're confused.' She steadied herself. They had both forgotten they were standing on the side of the road with traffic crawling past. 'Matt, you're not getting it. _I understand_. I understand because I know you. I think I know you better than you know yourself. I know you love me. I've just been waiting.'

'Waiting?'

'Yeah. Till you worked that out. I mean, you were an ass, and for that, I accept your apology.' It was his turn to laugh.

'Women,' he said, amazed.

'But I've never doubted you loved me and you should've never doubted I loved you.' He looked away guiltily. How was it that she was always one step ahead?

'I never will again.'

'No, you won't,' she said with certainty.

'I love you,' he said. Someone honked their horn, so he turned to the passing cars and shouted: '_I love her!'_ Then he turned back to Gabby and kissed her.


	12. Chapter 12

'Lieutenant, you know I'm still on shift, right?' Dawson said, pulling away from his kiss. 'And I'm afraid we can't stay here forever.' Cars trundled past and they both became aware of people ogling at the two of them as they passed. It didn't help that Dawson was still in her kit, complete with helmet in one hand.

'I know,' Casey sighed wistfully, going back in for another kiss. She let him, but then pulled away again.

'I'm serious. If Boden notices I'm gone…' Reluctantly, they got into the car and as they drove, Casey told her how he'd seen them on the news and about Mauden's car being at the site.

'There will be an enquiry. Boden will speak to Arson,' she tried to reassure him, but her words sounded flat even to herself. They pulled up around the corner from House 51. 'Or you could go directly to PD?'

Casey nodded. They both knew that 'PD' meant Antonio. 'I'm going to go now,' he said, 'I can't face any more hanging around.'

'Am I coming around later?' Dawson asked, smiling mischievously. Casey groaned, remembering his hurried flight from the apartment.

'I've locked myself out. I'll have to wait until Severide lets me in. Damn…' He realised that he was passing up alone-time with Dawson.

'Ok, well, I'll see you later,' she said, with one last kiss. He watched her safely around the corner and pulled away.

Antonio already knew most of what Casey told him, thanks to Gabby. Boden had also called it in when Mauden's car had been found at the site. Although they'd sent officers to the scene, Mauden was nowhere to be found.

'There's not a lot we can do for now. The investigation's open, we'll speak to Arson.' They were sat outside the station with a coffee each. 'Apart from that…'

'You don't have anything on him?' Casey asked, deflated.

'Nah, I checked weeks ago. Gabby mentioned you had some sort of tete-a-tete with him after a call, so I thought I'd scope it out. She also said you'd been suspended?'

'Yep, got the hearing in a couple of days. I just saw red…' At least the hearing would just be a formality, now that Mauden had shown his true hand. 'I just don't get what he's doing, why he's got it in for us?'

'Look, my advice is just to hold tight. If we find anything, I'll let you know. But he's gone AWOL and if we can't find him, neither will you.'

'Cheers Antonio.' Casey didn't say what was on his mind though: _what if Mauden found them first?_

'Gabby's ok?' Antonio asked as they stood up.

'Yeah, she's great, she's just great.' Antonio raised an eyebrow.

'Something you're not telling me, Matt?' Casey realised he was smiling like a nutter.

'Er…' He choked.

'Whatever, man. I'm sure Gabby will fill me in. Just be careful, ok?' Antonio slapped him on the back. Casey got the feeling he wasn't referring to Mauden.

'Thanks Antonio, I mean it.' It was as good a blessing as he was going to get, and right now he was counting every blessing with fervour.

He waited for her around the corner from the firehouse. He'd left his car back at the flat so that the walk would give him something to do. Brett saw him first and, suddenly remembering that she'd left her phone in her locker, shrunk away with a wink.

Casey waited until Dawson got to him and picked her up. On the side of the road, he'd been so concerned with doing it right, with saying his piece and listening to her, that it had been a bit of a blur. A happy one, but still a blur. When they'd kissed, he'd felt enormously relieved and elated. Now, he wanted to make the most of her. He buried his face into her neck and held her close.

'I could get used to this,' she said when he put her down.

'What's that?' He kissed her, breaking her reply.

'This,' she said, between kisses.

'What? Kissing?'

'Being worshipped.' He laughed and picked her up again.

'I promise to worship you Gabriella Dawson, for the rest of our lives, as long as we both shall live.'

Dawson pulled back with a grimace.

'Don't say that.'

'What?' They fell into walking side by side. He took her bag from her and slung it over his shoulder.

'_As long as we both shall live_. Sounds… premonitory.'

'Ok. Just _forever_ then?'

'That'll do. So - where are we going?'

'I dunno, I hadn't thought of that… Where do you want to go?'

'Back to yours?'

'I told you – I locked myself out. We'll have to wait for Severide. And then we'll have some explaining to do.'

'Severide won't be back till much later. They're all going straight out after shift.'

'Damn.' He said, but Dawson was positively glowing.

'Which gives us the place to ourselves.'

'Dawson, I'm locked ou-' He started to tell her again, but stopped when he saw what she'd pulled out her pocket.

'Are those…?' She grinned wolfishly at him.

'Severide's keys.'

'Gabriella Dawson,' he said, picking her up again, 'have I told you recently how much I love you?'

'Tell me again.'

'I love you.'

They fell through the door. Dawson pulled Casey's t-shirt over his head. He fumbled with the zip on her hoodie. As he stumbled backwards, his foot caught the leg of a chair and he fell, pulling her down with him. They didn't stop kissing while they laughed.

Her hands were at his belt as he went to unhook her bra.

'Matt, should we at least close the door?' She gasped. He looked over his shoulder at the door, which stood wide open. He grunted in ascent, leapt up to close it, but paused with the doorknob in his hand. Instinct made him stick his head outside, but there was no one there. He slammed it shut.

Dawson was on her feet.

'Where do you think you're going?' He asked, as she scooted around the sofa.

'There's a crazy man trying to kiss me.'

'I think he's going to do a lot more than just kiss you.' He vaulted the sofa, picked her up and set her down along it. They both struggled to get their breath as they kissed.

'Did you lock the door?' Dawson asked suddenly, pulling away. Casey opened his mouth to reassure her, but he found himself doubting whether he had. Mauden was like a tension in the air, faint but still perceptible. He had locked it, but felt better for checking.

But when he turned back to the darkened living room, she was gone.

'Gabby?' He called, panicked. He turned the lights on. Nothing. 'Gabby, please.' And then he saw that the door to his bedroom was open where it hadn't been before. He ran through it. Gabby lay on his bed, her t-shirt and underwear on the floor, laughing at the look on his face.

'Come here hero,' she beckoned to him. He didn't need telling twice.

**Ok so ****_maybe_**** I'm getting carried away with all the flirting and the kissing, but it's just ****_so_**** much fun. Just to reiterate that I started this storyline before there was any inkling of Casey and Dawson getting back together on the show, so this is how I pictured it ****:)**** Sorry it was short and mega fluffy.**

**We'll probably get back to the storyline over the next couple of chapters… Or maybe we'll just spend time with Dawsey finally being a couple. Let me know what you think!**

**Hani86, jscat, Miriam and my guests, I'm glad you like a bit of romance. Hopefully you enjoyed this too!**


	13. Chapter 13

**Guys, THANK YOU for all the reviews, they were just fantastic. I was chuffed to bits reading every single one. Sarrabra4, Hawaiishick, mycalmhidesastorm, Hani86, Miriam, jscat, Ghostwriter + guests, thanks for being my faithfuls. Coconut, Ducky2196, welcome to the fold. Am still having the best fun writing this. Enjoy!**

Casey awoke with a start. Someone was hammering on the door and his mind was completely blank as to who or what it could be. He jumped again when he realised that someone was in bed with him. It was Dawson. She stirred in his arms and he involuntarily squeezed her tighter.

'Who'sat?' She murmured. He didn't want to let her go now that he had her. The pounding got louder. It crossed Casey's mind that it was Mauden, but Mauden wouldn't knock.

'Casey! Lemme in!' It was Severide. Full of relief, Casey threw off the covers and went to open the front door. Severide stood there swaying. 'Hey man,' he slurred. 'Lost my damn keys.' He patted his pockets, as though they might suddenly materialise.

'Oh, right,' Casey said blankly. 'Maybe you just forgot to take them?' He said quickly, seeing Severide's keys on the worktop.

'Yeah, maybe but I swear I did.' He pushed past him into the apartment, oblivious to the keys. 'We – shit, am real drunk. We got a keg a Molly's n Capp said I couldn't drain it for thirty seconds and I said I could.' Casey supressed a laugh, put on his mock serious face.

'And could you?'

'I'm not sure… Oh look, here they are,' Severide said, brightening as he saw his keys on the worktop. He went to throw them up in the air and catch them again but he missed and they dropped to the floor. When he went to pick them up, the chair he was leaning on gave way and he nearly fell. Casey laughed out loud.

'Go sit down man. I'll make you tea.'

'You shoulda been there, we went to this new place on… on… I can't remember, and Cruz tried to talk to this girl and she was all like… hey, what's this?' Severide was sat on the sofa, and presently held up a bra. Dawson's bra. 'Casey, you cheeky devil, whose is this?'

'Uhh.' _Oh shit._

'I thought you were just all depressed, thought you wanted some alone-time. Didn't think you were _entertaining_.' Casey's mind was whirring; Severide didn't always react the best to Casey's love life, especially not to Dawson. Overprotectiveness, was what it was.

'Who is she? Where is she?' He raised his voice in the direction of Casey's bedroom. 'Hellooo?' _Why hadn't Herrmann or one of crew filled him in?_ It would've saved a confrontation at least, and Casey hated confrontation. Severide was looking at him expectantly. 'Who is she?'

'Just…someone,' Casey said, cringing. Why couldn't he think on the spot with a bit more finesse?

'Just _someone?_ Casey, sly doesn't suit you. Who is it? Do I – do I know her?' Severide's smile had become fixed as he cottoned on to the deception.

'No one.' Casey said.

'No one?' Came a voice from the darkened doorway. Dawson emerged, her eyebrow raised expectantly.

'_Dawson_?' Severide asked. For a beat, there was silence. Casey wanted to die. A rock and a hard place, was the correct description. Both of them were looking at him expectantly.

'Tea?' He said, as the kettle finally began to boil. He said it not as a distraction, but because it was clear no one was going to bed soon.

'Please,' Dawson said drily, sitting down gingerly next to Severide on the sofa. Casey was left to take the armchair opposite them. It was like an inquisition.

'I don't what to say,' Severide said. He was rapidly sobering up.

'Neither does Casey apparently,' Dawson said curtly, taking a sip of tea.

'How long have you guys been…' Severide flapped his hands at them. Casey wanted to laugh, but one glance from Dawson told him not to.

'Like, six hours?' Casey said. If this was just going to be a question and answer session, he could handle that.

'Six hours. Basically nothing,' Dawson said. Casey cringed again.

'Well. Shit.' Severide leant forwards and whistled through his teeth. _Here it comes_, Casey thought. 'About bloody time. I mean, _seriously_, guys, you've both just been mooning around for months. I was on the verge of locking you in a cupboard together and letting you fight it out. But then you went and tried that in the freaking _oven_, and that didn't work and I'm telling you, we'd all just about given up on you both. Two little lovesick puppies moping around looking all forlorn. Jesus, it's a wonder the Chief didn't step in. I woulda done, if I coulda. But the guys told me to leave it out, that you needed to work it out yourselves. Well, I'm glad you did.' Severide leaned forward and chinked Casey's mug with his own. 'Cheers man.' Then he chinked Dawson's mug. 'Cheers Dawson.'

'Cheers,' Casey stuttered, gobsmacked. Severide looked so genuinely pleased and it was infectious. It was the last response he'd expected, the equivalent of Antonio slapping him on the back; a blessing.

'And with that, I think I'ma leave you guys to y'know,' he winked at Dawson, 'have _adult cuddles_.'

Casey snorted with laughter. 'Adult cuddles?' Severide stumbled towards his room, muttering '_hear no evil, see no evil, speak no evil.'_ Casey stopped laughing when he saw the icy look on Dawson's face.

'I'm sorry, you know I didn't mean to call you 'no one',' he said, climbing onto the sofa next to her. Severide had left a lingering smell of beer in the air. 'You are certainly _not _no one.' Casey had more confidence in himself, that he could talk her round. He circled her midriff with his arms. The skin of her stomach was silken.

'I know,' she replied. The corner of her mouth gave a little twitch.

'You know?' He marvelled at her.

'Of course. You panicked. A quick thinker, you are not Matt Casey.' She twisted in his grip so that she was facing him.

'I am not,' he conceded, burying his head into her chest. He always had floundered under pressure. Cautiously, he lifted his head to look at her. She was smiling.

'_Adult cuddles_?' She whispered, a sparkle in her eye. And then they were both laughing.

'Is that a challenge?'

'I dunno… It sounds pretty dangerous to me.' He stood and scooped her up.

'You're safe with me. I'm a fireman.'


End file.
